Flights to Bhutan are an amazing experience, particularly if you are flying into the Himalayan kingdom for the first time. As the flights approach Bhutan, you will see the Himalayan foothills including Mt. Everest. Once you enter Bhutan, the flights snakes around the mountains to land at the Paro International Airport in western Bhutan.

Welcome to Bhutan.

You would then get through the immigration counter where you can produce the paper visa we have emailed you based on which you would be stamped your visa on your passport. At the arrival terminal, our guide would be waiting to welcome you. You would then drive for an hour to capital Thimphu. In the evening, you can walk about Thimphu city.

You will also visit the tallest Buddha statue in the world, which is located at a scenic hilltop overlooking the entire Thimphu valley. We will also visit the TashiChhoDzong, which is the giant fortress that houses the office of the King.

Later in the evening, you may wander and explore the fascinating streets of Thimphu, the world’s only capital city without a traffic light!

Overnight at a hotel in Thimphu.

Day 2: Tour Thimphu and Drive to Punakha.

In the morning, we will visit National Memorial temple located at the heart of the Thimphu city. The temple was built in the memory of the third king of Bhutan. We will then visit the mini Takin Zoo. The takin is the national animal of Bhutan and it is believed that the animal was created miraculously from the head of a goat and the body of a cow by a Tibetan lama in the late 15th century.

Then we will start out drive to Punakha, the ancient winter capital of Bhutan. En-route stop at Dochu-La pass (10,000ft/3,048m) for a breathtaking view the eastern Himalayas, including Bhutan's highest mountain, the majestic Gangkar Punsum (24,770ft/7,550m.) On the other side of the pass, the road descends through varied and ever-changing forest, emerging into the highly cultivated Punakha valley.

Later in the afternoon we’ll take a short walk to visit Chimi Lhakhang, a fertility temple built in 1499 by lama Drukpa Kunley (charmingly known as “The Divine Madman.”) On this site, The Divine Madman subdued the Demoness of the Dochu-La using his “magic thunderbolt of wisdom,” (also known as “his phallus.”) A wooden effigy of the Lama’s “thunderbolt” is preserved in the Lhakhang. Traditionally, childless women have visited this temple to receive a wang (blessing) from the saint. Our trail leads across rice fields to the tiny settlement of Pana. There are few young monks at the temple, which is surrounded by a row of prayer wheels and some very beautiful slate carvings.

In Punakha, we’ll visit the impressive Punakha Dzong. With its three towers, and wonderful location at the confluence of two rivers, it is considered by many to be the most beautiful of Bhutan’s 21 Dzongs.

Overnight at the hotel in Punakha.

Day 3: Punakha to Bumthang

IAfter breakfast, we will proceed towards Bumthang. Our road gradually winds its way up towards the Pele La Pass at 11,152ft, where we make stop for views of the snow clad peaks, including that of Bhutan’s sacred peak Mt. Chomolhari.

We will cross Trongsa and proceed on. After passing the Yotong La pass at 11,234', we descend into Chumey valley, the first of four Bumthang valleys.

In Chumey, we will visit Yathra Weaving centers (a Colorful wool weaving). Then drive onto the Jakar the center of Bumthang valleys. Bumthang valley is considered one of the most sacred in the kingdom and innumerable legends surround the area. It is here that the kings were cremated and the present royal families trace their ancestry back to a famous saint called Pemalingpa, who was also a smith in Jakar Township.

Overnight at the hotel in Bumthang.

Day 4: Bumthang sightseeing

After early breakfast, we will visit the Jambay Lhakhang the 7th Century Temple which is believed to be one of series of 108 temples built by a Tibetan King to subdue a demon and propagate Buddhism in the Himalayan region. It is one of the two of the 108-temple series that exists in Bhutan.

Then we will visit the adjacent Kurjey temple, named after the body print of Guru Rinpoche, which is preserved in a cave inside the oldest of the three buildings that make up the temple complex. The first temple is the oldest and was built in 1652 by Mingyur Tenpa, when he was Penlop of Trongsa. The second temple was built by Ugyen Wangchuk, the first king of Bhutan in 1900 when he was still Penlop of Trongsa. The third building in the complex is an elaborate three-storey lhakhang built by Ashi Kesang Wangchuk, in 1984 under the guidance of Diglo Khyentse Rimpoche.

Then we will aalk across the suspension bridge to Tamshing and visit Tamshing Goemba monastery, established in 1501 by Pema Lingpa and is the most important Nyingmapa Goemba in the kingdom. Pema Lingpa built the structure himself, with the help of Khandroms (female celestial beings) who made many of his statues. Also, worth visiting in Jakar is cheese factory and microbrewery./p>

Overnight at hotel/farmhouse in Bumthang.

Day 5 : Bumthang to Phobjikha.

From Bumthang, we will ascend out of the valleys on a twisting mountain road towards the Yotong La (11,200ft/3,370m). Near the pass is an area of wild cane/bamboos that is a well-known habitat for Red Panda. The road then descends to Tongsa but instead of stopping here for the night you will drive on to Chendebji Stupa our lunch stop, over the Pele La (11,000ft/3,353m) and start the descent for few kilometers to the junction where it leads to the glacial valley of Phobjikha.

Overnight at a hotel in Phobjikha.

Day 6: Phobjikha to Paro.

In the morning drive west to Thimphu. First descending to Wangduephodrang and Punakha valley and the climb to Dochula pass again and en route Thimphu for lunch and finally to Paro valley.

In Paro, you can go about Paro town and do some shopping in the evening.

Overnight at a hotel in Paro.

Day 7: Hike to the Tiger’s Nest

Taktshang Monastery is one of the most picturesque, and certainly most widely-recognized sights in all of Bhutan. It is said that Guru Padmasambhava flew on the back of a tiger from Tibet to a cave in the side of a cliff at Taktsang (meaning tiger’s nest.) A monastery, mind-bogglingly perched 2,000ft/600m on the sheer cliff face, was built on this site to commemorate his fantastic flight.

We’ll begin the day with a short drive to the trailhead. We’ll then hike for an hour as we climb the hillside trail to a teahouse with a wonderful view of the monastery on one side, and the wide Paro valley on the other side. From there, it’s only another half hour or so to the monastery itself. A visit to Taktshang monastery provides a truly memorable, once-in-a-lifetime experience. We will be served lunch at the tea house. Since the return route is all downhill, it will take roughly half the time as our ascent.

If energy-level permits, you may explore the friendly city of Paro in the evening.

Overnight at a hotel in Paro.

Day 8: Departure.

After breakfast at the hotel we’ll drive to the nearby Paro airport. On your flight, it’s likely that you’ll be able to catch a glimpse of Mt. Chomolhari, Bhutan’s second highest peak, and Mt. Everest, the world’s highest mountain.